Electric switch



Oct. 11,1927.

B. TETZLAFF ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 5, 1925 INVENTOR.

PIG-Z.

Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

PATENT oFFicE.

BENJAMIN A. TETZLAFF, 0F IBERWYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WITTEK MANUFAC- [DURING 00., A CORPORATION.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed August 5, 1925. Serial No. 48,198.

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches and has among its objects the provision of a novel switch which shall be particularly adaptable for use in stop light circuits for motor vehicles.

Another object of the invention is found in the embodimentof a. switch which is arranged to cooperate with the foot lever of a vehicle brake mechanism wherein the normal position of the foot brake retains the switch in open position and whereby movement of the foot brake will release resiliently con trolled means for closng the switch.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a switch having a spring pressed lever which is adapted upon release to move a loosely supported contact member into contact with the circuit terminals to thereby close the circuit.

lVith these and other objects in View, my

invention consists in the novel combination, construction and arrangement of the "parts and members shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specifications and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the illustrations, wherein like reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts or members Figure 1 is a side elevation of the switch and the co-operating foot lever.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the switch.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the switch taken on line 3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the switch in part section and part elevation taken on line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring now in detail to the illustrations, the switch includes a casing 10 comprising a single piece housing 10 and a cover support 10 The housing 10 includes sides 10 and 10 ends 10 and a top 10; the sides, ends and top being integral or formed of a single piece of bent plate. It will be noted that the cover support 10 is Z-shaped in cross section having a laterally outstanding leg portion 10 and a laterally extendingportion 1O forming a cover for the housing 10-. The ends 1O having integral extensions 1O which extend through openings in the cover 10 and by bending securely hold the cover in place. The joints between the sides and ends may be soldered if desirable to form a rigid casing. The leg 10 is provided with an opening 10 for the bolt connection 14 on the gear case 15.

- The two electric conductors 13 have connection with the terminals 11 which are suitably insulated from the casing 10 with insulating plates 12.

Anoperating lever 16 is provided which comprises a flat bar having a. vertically disposed end portion 16 of decreased cross section about which is mounted a coil spring 17, and a lateral central portion 16 extending through a slotted opening 23 in the easing end and terminating in the upwardly bent end portion 16 It will be observed by reference to Figures 3 and 1, that the spring 17 is confined between the cover plate 10 and the shoulder 16 of the operating lever 16.

A rectangular insulated plate member 18 having a. copper contact plate 19 attached thereto, is loosely mounted on top of the lever 16 with the copper contact plate below the inner ends of the terminals 11.

Normally the end 16 of the lever 16-en-' gages the foot brake lever 20 and is held by same in the position shown by full linesin Figure 1, and by dotted lines in Figure 8, with the coil spring compressed and with the insulating plate 18 in dropped position (shown by dotted lines in Figure 3) with the contact plate 19 disengaged from the terminals 11. hen, however, the foot brake lever 20 is moved into braking position, the lever 16 is released or permitted to be moved by the compressed coil spring 17 into the position shown by full lines in Figure 3, thus raising the insulating member 18 with the contact plate 19 into contact with the terminals 11 to complete the circuit between the battery 21 and stop signal lamp 22.

Upon release, the foot brake lever 20 will be brought into normal position to again compress the coil spring 17 as the inner end portion 16? of the lever 16 is lowered, thus permitting the insulating plate 18 and contact plate 19 to drop from contact with the terminals 11 to break the circuit.

To guide the lever end 16 in its operation, I extend the lower end of same through an opening 24 within the cover portion 10 It will readily be understood that the spring for actuating the foot brake lever 20 into normal raised position is comparatively of-greater power than the reaction of the compressed spring 17.

In order to insure a positive contact of the contact plate 19 with both terminals 11 even though one of said terminals should project further below than the other, the wall of the upper plate portion could be slightly depressed to form a ball-like projection 25 to thereby provide a pivotal point of support for the insulation plate 18 thus permitting a tilting of said plate 18 to at ford the positive contact of the contact plate 19 with terminals 11.

I claim:

1. In an electric switch, and in combination, a casing, a normally open electric circuit having a pair of terminals extending into said casing, a lever mounted within said casinghaving an extension thereof extending outside of said casing, a contact plate freely supported on said lever within said casing and normally not in contact with said terminals, a lever mounted exteriorly of said casing and adapted normally to retain said extension of said lever within said casing in raised position whereby the portion of said lever within said casing is maintained in lowered position with said contact plate disengaged from said terminals, and resilient means adapted to move said portion of said lever within said casing and said contact plate upwardly to thus close said circuit res onsively to the movement of said exterior y mounted lever out of normal position, said contact plate being permitted to drop by gravity from contact with said terminals upon the return of said exteriorly mounted lever into normal position.

2. In an electric switch and in combination, a casing, a normally open electric circuit having a pair of terminals extending into said casing, a switch operating lever mounted on said casing said lever comprising a substantially laterally disposed portion having an integral extension extending exteriorly of said casing and an inner portion disposed at an angle thereto and perpendicularly to the bottom of the casing, said perpendicularly disposed portion extending through a coil spring and adapted to compress said spring when in normal position, an insulated plate member freely supported on said switch operating lever with in said casing, an electrically conductive contact plate mounted on the top of said member and adapted to engage said terminals, a lever mounted exterior'ly of said casing and adapted normally to retain said exterior extension of said switch operating lever in raised position whereby the inner portion of said switch operating lever is retained in lowered position with said contact plate disengaged from terminals, said insulated plate member being adapted to be raised with said contact plate into engagement with said terminals responsively to the movement of said exteriorly mounted lever.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

BENJAMIN A. TETZLAFF. 

